National Forest Policy unveiled

IT’S BEEN A 4-YEAR SLOG, BUT NEW Zealand’s first National Forest Policy has now been unveiled and presented to the government.

A team of industry professionals led by Garth Cumberland and working under the umbrella of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry has created a document that provides the government with a platform to help “develop sound long-term strategies for forestry development”.

The policy document was handed to Forestry Minister, Shane Jones, at the NZIF’s annual conference in Nelson and he has promised to consider the proposals made by the team.

NZIF President, David Evison, says: “Unlike many countries, New Zealand has no national forest policy. Government decisions on matters as diverse as climate change, water quality, taxation, overseas investment and land use have too often adversely affected our forests.

“As trees live longer than most plants, a stable policy environment is critical for good forest management.”

The document outlines five long-term policies to recognise, protect and enhance the many benefits that trees and forests deliver to the environment, economy, society and culture. The policies cover all forests (from conservation to production), management objectives, tenure types and all species (indigenous and introduced).

“A good policy provides important principles to guide decisions on legislation and regulation and helps achieve better outcomes,” says Dr Evison. “If the policy is well implemented, it will result in healthier, better managed forests, which provide much greater value to New Zealand and New Zealanders.”

Even though it is now in its final format, feedback on the National Forest Policy is still welcomed by the team that developed it. * The full National Forest Policy can be viewed on our website, www.nzlogger.co.nz.